GPS signal jamming near Russia’s militarized Kaliningrad exclave is disrupting drone activity along Lithuania’s Baltic Sea coast, with interference now seven times higher than during the same period last year, according to Lithuania’s Armed Forces.

The public broadcaster LRT, who reported the findings, noted particularly heavy disruptions outside the port of Klaipėda.

Saulius Balčiūnas, a professional drone operator with seven years of experience, told the channel he first noticed a spike in GPS interference two weeks ago during a drone competition in the resort town of Nida, on the Curonian Spit.

“Previously, even if drones drifted a little mid-air, the signal remained stable and everything functioned fine,” Balčiūnas said. “But now we’re seeing not just significantly stronger GPS jamming, but also interference with the control signal. Two of my colleagues have already had their drones crash, and several others have experienced serious signal loss.”

According to drone pilots, the most severe disruptions are occurring along the Baltic Sea coast and over the Curonian Lagoon, especially near Kaliningrad.

Military analysts say Russia frequently conducts electronic warfare operations from its heavily fortified exclave, aiming to disrupt Western intelligence gathering and push back against NATO activity in the Baltic region. Experts have previously linked GPS jamming in the area to Russian efforts to shield its military bases using electronic countermeasures.

While Russia has ramped up electronic warfare since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Lithuanian defense officials report a notable increase in recent weeks.

“It seems to coincide with Ukraine’s recent successful operation inside Russia,” Balčiūnas suggested, referring to a major Ukrainian drone strike on military aircraft at Russian airfields. “Maybe they got angry at the whole world and are trying to retaliate.”

The interference has also affected operations at Klaipėda Port, though the impact there is less severe, as maritime transport relies on multiple navigational systems beyond GPS.